The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-08
THE STATE OF INDIANA.
The value of the Agricultural and Mineral
Resources OF the State.


Resources of the State.
Indiana ranks as the sixth State in the Union
In list of thirty-eight this is well to the front.
She was admitted to the Union in 1916. and her
population in 1920 according to the national
census of that year, was 147,l7a This was sixty
seven years ago There are very many persons
now living in the State whose birth antedates
fts admission TO the Union, and not a few who
can recollect when the population of the entire
State was scarcely greater than the present pop
ulation of Marion county. The population in
creased from 147 178 in 1920 TO 97S 301, 10 $780,
and il now considerably more than 100000.
In 1920 the State ranked eighteenth
in the Union; since then it has
advanced to the position of sixth. In 1880 the
population Of Marion county, including Indian
apoIis was only 1872. There are now nearly a
score Of cities and towns whose population ex-
ceeds this, among which may be mentioned Fort
Wayne, Evansville. Terre Haute New Albany,
Lafayette, South Bend, Logansport. Richmond,
Madison, vincennes, Jeffersonville. LaPorte.
Michigan City Charlottesville, Munce, Ko-
komo, Peru. Elkhart. Anderson, Goshen. Shell
byville, Columbus and others. Each OF these
cities is the prosperous center Of wealthy and
enterprisine popua ton and their business inter-
ests represent enormous aggregate.
Indianas wonderful growth in population, &C
companied as it has been at every stage by a
corresponding development of the material re-
sources and productive wealth of the State, ar
cues a combination Of fortunate circumstances.
This happy union of favorable conditions is
found in its geographical location, its agricul-
tural resources. its mineral wealth. its railroad
and commercial advantages, its healthy climate,
ana in all the physical resources and environ
penis which tend TO make an active enterpris-
l.g, prosperous and happy community. There
is no better State to live in to die in than In
diana, no State with richer or more varied re-
sources, none better for the farmer, the bust
ness man, the mechanic, the landowner, the
tenant the day laborer, the manufacturer, the
operative the old, the young, the rich, the
poor-no better State anywhere than Indiana.
It's location, almost midway between the oceans.
marks it as natural highway of continental
traffic. The conformation of the country, with
the lakes on the north and the Ohio river on the
south, comre.s the convergence of east-and-west
lines of railroad in order to cross its borders.
Its eouidstant place between the centers of
Eastern population and the comparatively new
regions weat northwest and southwest of as
makes it a natural meeting place for the tides Of
travel and distributing point between the great
producing and consuming sections of the coun-
try. Inc important Aspects Oh 4nulauAS geo.
graphical location will be far more
clearly revealed a century or half century hence
than they are now. They will become more
apparent every year, and when the United States
has population of 200, 000, 600, and the present
volume of interstate traffic. many times multi
Piled pours through this gateway of the CONT
nent the full significance of its geographical
location will fully appear. Then, with a tenn
ing population of eight or ten millions, with
railroad mileage far greater than the present..
with numerous large manufacturing cities and
towns, and with her agricultural and mineral
resources developed to point now undreamed
of the real capabilities and resources of the
State will be made manifest Situated
in the heart of the continent and the
center Of the Mississippi valley, ii is
also at present almost the exact center of the
population OF the United States The census of
1890 will show the center to be within the limits
Of Indiana 1t 10 in the heart of the wheat
growing region, with the highest record of
any State in the Union for production, aud is in
the center OF the corn belt This makes it a
great hog and cattle State and statistics show that
it ranks among the first in this regard. Indiana
is the original homo of the blue grass and
where in the world does this celebrated beef
making grass grow more luxuriantly than in the
central belt OF counties AS general purpose
farming State Indiana has no superior. The
forthcoming report of Mr.. w. A. Peelle State
Statisrcian, gives the following values OF farm
products in 1886: